An Unusual Friendship
by We'rekindacrazylikethat
Summary: A short story about a friendship between Nina and Mara. Minor Jara mentions. Slightly AU but still in Liverpool. There is no Anubis House or Amun Boarding School. May become a three-shot or chapter story.
1. Chapter 1

Navigating Liverpool can be dangerous. Especially if it's your first time there.

An adolescent girl gets lost many times, her golden blond hair blowing in her face.

The cool breeze has brought a natural blush upon her cheeks, and she frowns a bit.

She pulls her coat tighter around herself, buttoning the jacket although the zipper is broken, and pulling her knit hat down lower to block the wind from her face.

She bumps into something warm, an unsuspecting person.

"I'm sorry." She manages to get out. She blushes a darker shade of scarlet, out of embarrassment.

"It's quite alright." The stranger speaks, now calculating the young child in her meekness. The child does the same to the stranger.

She is average height with brown hair and black glasses that have a large frame. She seems to be around the same age.

The stranger extends a hand. "I'm Mara Jaffray, what's your name?"

The blond looks at Mara for a minute, and then shakes her hand. "Nina Martin. I'm new around these parts, and I seem to be lost."

She shivers, and the stranger smiles invitingly. "I'll show you around, if you like. Where are you looking for?"

And that was the beginning of the friendship between a shy girl and a polite stranger.

Days later, the girls are sitting in Nina's rented apartment, talking and having biscuits with tea.

"I haven't properly introduced you to anyone yet, have I?" Mara asked, thinking.

Nina shook her head, but smiled at the girl.

"Would you fancy meeting my friends today? We're going to my house and I wouldn't want you to be all alone in Liverpool." She asked politely.

"I would love that, if you think your friends would like to meet me. I wouldn't want to be a bother, or intrude." The shy girl looked down at her shoes.

"I would love it if they met you and we all became friends. How long did you say you would be in England again?" Mara asked, thoughtfully.

"For this year if I'm lucky. I might have to leave early if my Gran's health deteriorates further. She's all the family I have left." The blond says, brushing some hair from in front of her face.

"You're very brave." Says Mara, giving Nina a half-hug.

She smiles shyly at the compliment, like she always does.

"Well, come on." Mara stands up, lending Nina a hand.

She thanks Mara and stands as well, and the girls set off to Mara's house.

"Are you ready?" Mara asks the wavering blond.

She gives a meek nod, which Mara takes as a signal to open the door.


	2. Meeting the Friends

There are bookshelves lining the walls, and a small maroon desk with neatly sorted papers.

A few children around their age are sitting on the tan and beige couches set up in the room.

Nina marvels at the walls, which are adorned with lacy floral patterns and compliments Mara politely on them.

"Oh, you like them? Thank you. I decorated it myself." She smiles.

Nina nods and makes a half bow.

The teenagers look curious.

"Nina, these are my friends." Mara sat down next to a lanky, tall, blond boy who looked mischievous but caring. A boy with shaggy brown hair smiled at Nina, and she looked at her shoes.

"I'm Fabian Rutter." The brown-haired boy announced bravely, being the first to speak.

"Amber Millington, at your service." A bubbly blond giggled, and a dark skinned boy put her arm around her shoulder to calm her down.

"I'm Alfie Lewis, and this is Jerome Clark." He gestured to his partner in crime and best friend, the lanky blond.

"Jerome is my boyfriend." Mara said quietly and laughed.

Nina smiled. A girl with auburn hair and black boots spoke up. "I'm Patricia Williamson."

The room was silent for a moment, and then a mousy girl with brown hair introduced herself. "I'm Joy Mercer." She looked shy too, and glanced at Fabian for courage. He beamed at her and she blushed.

Maybe Nina could make some new friends that were as shy as she.

At last, a boy with dirty blond hair, looking slightly older than the rest looked her in the eyes evenly, watching her.

"I'm Eddie Miller." He said, still watching every nervous quiver and shake she made. He seemed to have a barely obvious American accent, like he used to live there.

He was making her uncomfortable. She looked at Mara to avoid Eddie's eye contact, and Mara smiled at her encouragingly.

"I'm Nina Martin." She said quietly, in a nervous half-whisper.

"Aren't you the girl who ran away from home?" Jerome looks at her now, with calculating eyes like Eddie's. Mara shoots a light glare at her significant other, begging him to stop.

"Yes." She replies in a quiver of her lip.

"And they found you. And lectured you. And brought you home to your parents." He says, not really a question anymore.

She nods meekly. _Maybe it was a bad idea to come_. She thinks, wishing she could disappear.

"And yet you're in England. How does that happen?" He says, narrowing his eyes.

Everyone looks as uneasy as Nina feels.

"My parents passed away, a few years ago. My Gran didn't want me to see up her at home sick, so she sent me off to travel." She says now, gaining a little courage, remembering she has to stay strong for them.

"Well, Nina. If you want to survive in Liverpool, I suggest you stick with us." Eddie says coldly, but thoughtfully.

She nods, feeling relieved but as if she has over stayed her welcome.

She sits down shyly on the couch next to Mara, as far as possible from Eddie, but still wary of Jerome.

Mara smiles at her, like an older sister.

"It's nice to meet all of you." Nina sinks into the couch.

"You too." Amber nods, smiling and agreeing with Alfie, who appears to be her boyfriend.

The shy girl is beginning to feel welcome, despite the boys glaring at her.

"What do you and your friends, do?" She asked, biting her lip.

"Oh, we talk, and go explore, and play tricks on teachers sometimes. We just sit around and have fun." The Indian girl smiles at Nina.

Nina nods and smiles. "That sounds lovely."


End file.
